My life in London (and its environs). "Delusional if rather sweet" – Samira Ahmed

Richmond, Kentucky vignettes

– I have a new response to “Oh I love your accent”. It’s “I love your accent too!”. It’s much better than saying “thanks” then staring at my shoes.

– I went bowling with a retired school teacher, Sandy the Supreme, and Mo the Merciless. The staff told me where to buy some new, not-falling-apart trainers.

– There’s a college kid who works at a shoe shop who knows what the capacity of Arsenal’s emirates stadium is. He wanted to know why Wembley has an arch.

– If you don’t have a car you’re basically fucked ’round these parts.

– I’ve only been here three days and already the cats have total mastery over me.

– I made my return to snooper’s paradise, which is essentially a permanent indoor car boot sale. Lots of coca cola signs, ancient stoves and 16 bit computer games were available, amongst some of the best cultural flotsam and jetsam of the past 40 years. Also a crossbow. I was prevented from buying a baseball cap with the confederate flag on it, and couldn’t find what I was looking for (a shiny sun visor with “Kentucky” written on the front).

– The guy in the comic book store wanted to know what comic book stores look like in England. He also presumed I grew up on a diet of 2000AD. He’s right.

– Everyone knows everyone.

– Being in a car for the first time in so long has either made me feel sick or exhausted.

– Star Wars lego is amazing, and Toys ‘R’ Us is just as magical as it was 20 years ago. You can’t go wrong with toys, can you? They’re much better than power tools or paint rollers or whatever it is people of my age enjoy buying.